(Cass Co.) A discussion was held on the status of child care facilities in Cass County at the Board of Supervisors meeting this morning.
Jack Bissell, City Councilman from Massena and member of the Childcare Board, said they are currently down to one full time child care provider and a part-time provider that takes care of children before and after school. He said they sent out a survey to community members and the results told them that there was enough interest in the town for a child care facility. Bissell said that’s when they started working with the local school board.
Bissell said the school is looking to go to a bond vote in November and if it passes they hope that by the end of construction they will have a childcare center at the school by the end of 2022.
Jared Wyman, with the City of Griswold, said they have been looking at some contracts to get a piece of ground to build a new structure and they have been raising funds for that.
Wyman said they hope to have a budget figure done by the end of the year and they hope to start building next spring.
Dan Haynes, with the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, says the Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center in Atlantic is pretty much full. Haynes explained what they are doing at the Y to help with the childcare situation.
Haynes said the other piece they are working on; their school age childcare which was licensed for 45 now has a new license for 110 and they are adding a bathroom and sinks into the multipurpose room.
The discussion on childcare was brought up while the Supervisors were talking about the American Rescue Plan Funding, which can be used for infrastructure. The first half of funds designated to Cass County has been received totaling $1,246,621.50. The other half should be received in 2022. The Supervisors continue to have discussions on how the funds should be used.
Dan Haynes told the Supervisors that if any of the American Rescue Plan funds are able to be used for any of these childcare projects they would all be in favor of that.
